Folding chair



March 18, 1941. w. c. RASTETTER FOLDING CHAIR s Sheets-sheet 1 Filed Oct.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

March 18, 1941. w RASTETTER v 2,235,775A

FOLDING CHAIR Filed Oct. 22. 1937 l 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 um l j ""W AATTORNEY.

March 18, 1941. w. c. RAsTETTER FOLDING CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 22, 1937 ATTORNEY @d INVENTOR.

Patented Mar. 18, 1941 PATENT OFFICE FOLDING CHAIR William C. Rastetter, Fort Wayne, Ind.; William C. Rastetter, Jr., administrator of said William C. Rastetter, deceased Application October 22, 1937, Serial No. 170,314

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in folding chairs of the type having an integral backand rear leg structure and folding parts constituted of a seat `and forelegs pivoted there- 5. to, and having also latching means whereby the folding parts are held in extended position relative to the back and rear leg structure.

An object of the invention is to afford a chair having folding parts, that, when the chair is fully extended for use, has the general appearance of the conventional non-folding chairs in common, use.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a chair having folding parts, a conveniently accessible latching means for holding the chair in extended position, th'atis substantially concealed from casual observation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention appear in the following description.

Illustrative embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- 1 is a. vertical section of a chair made in accordance with the invention, folding parts thereof being shown by dotted outline in` semifolded and completely folded positions;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical section of parts shown in Fig. 1, the parts being in completely folded position;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan View of the folding seat, brace-frame, latch member and other parts;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical elevation projected from Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front elevation showing the foreleg structure, seat frame and seat;

Fig. 6 is an elevation showing one of the seat frame hinge brackets;

Fig. 7 is a vertical elevation of a modified form of the chair in which the invention is embodied, o folding parts thereof being shown by dotted outline in semi-folded and completely folded positions;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary front elevation projected from Fig. 7; and

45 Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical section of parts shown in Fig. 'I the parts being in completely folded position.

The illustrative embodiment of the invention, in the form shown in Fig. 1, comprises a rigid frame, constituting the back I and rear legs 2 of a folding chair, a folding seat frame 3 supporting a seat 4 thereon, la foreleg structure 5 pivoted to said seat frame, as indicated by 6, mechanism consisting of anchor plates 1 on the rigid frame provided with rigid stop-studs 8' (Cl. 155-141) .f

thereon, hinge brackets 9 on the seat frame pivotally attached correspondingly to the upper ends of the anchor plates 1, as indicated by Il), and

engageable with said studs, cross arms II pivotally attached at the ends thereof correspondingly to the rear land forelegs, and a latch member I2 pivoted in the seat frame, as indicated by I3, engageable with said studs.

The seat frame 3 has a front rail I8 to which the forelegs 5 are pivotally connected and said 10 forelegs are held spaced apart from each other by a rung I9. The rea-r legs 2 and forelegs 5 are held spaced apart from each other by the cross arms II which, being pivotally connected to the legs, permit upward folding of the seat and ll5 forelegs as the chair is collapsed.

The hinge brackets 9 are each shaped, as indicated in Fig. 6, so as to have a rearwardly protruding jaw that, when the seat frame is extended for use, said jaws are moved into position against the bottoms of the corresponding stop-studs 8.

Preferably, the upper faces of the jaws 2E! slant toward the outer ends thereof and bear with increasing force Iagainst the corresponding stopstuds 8 as the seat frame is moved into extended position, and the notched ends 2| of the latch member i2 are so shaped that, as said latch member is moved into engagement with the stop studs 8 said ends press with increasing force, and thus is obviated play between the stop-studs 8, jaws 20 and the notched rear ends of the latch member. In this manner rigidity of the folding parts and the rigid frame structure of the chair is augmented.

In the seat frame 3 are disposed springs 22 secured thereto by screws 23, which springs bear downwardly against the latch member at a point forward from its pivotal supports I3, thus tending to hold the latch member into engagement with the stop-studs 8 when the chair is extended for use. Also, there are provided other stops 24 that project inwardly from the sides ofthe seat frame 3 above the rear portions of the latch member to limit movement thereof and assure proper position of the rear ends of the latch member for engagement with the stop-studs 8 when the chair is being unfolded for use. Upon the bottom faces of the seat frame 3, and on the rear faces of the front legs 5, are secured mating snap fasteners 25--26 that, upon complete folding of the chair, have frictional engagement with each other whereby the chair is sustained in its folded position.

The form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7 55 is similar to the structure, above described, in some particulars. In this instance there is provided a rigid frame constituting a back I' with contiguous rear legs 2', a folding seat frame 3 supporting a seat 4 thereon, a foreleg structure 5' pivoted to said seat-frame, as indicated by 6. In this instance also the rigid frame has thereon anchor plates l provided with stop-studs 8'. The seat frame has hinge brackets 9' pivotally connected to said anchor plates at the upper ends thereof, as indicated by Ill', and a latch member I2' is pivoted to the seat frame, as indicated by l3 engageable with said studs. In this form of the invention the legs 5 are pivoted, as indicated by 6', to the seat frame 3, upon the outer sides thereof and have upward projecting extensions I4 that have at the tops thereof pivotal connections l5 with corresponding arm rests I6 located adjacent the forward ends of said arm rests. The rear ends of said arm rests have pivotal connections respectively with the back l', as indicated by Il.

Also, mating snap fasteners 21-28 are secured respectively to the bottom faces of the seat frame 3 and upon the rear face of the lowermost rung 29 of the front leg structure, so arranged that upon complete folding of the chair said snap fasteners have frictional engagement with each other, whereby the chair is sustained in folded position.

In operation, the chair is moved from its co1- lapsed position by manually applying sucient force to swing the seat outwardly upon its pivotal connections with the back and incidentally disconnecting the snap fasteners. When the seat is moved to its fully extended position, the jaws 20 engage with the bottoms of the correspending stop-studs 8, and the notched ends of the latch member also have engagement with said studs, whereupon the folding parts of the chair are firmly held in extended position. To fold the chair, upward pressure is manually applied to the front portion of the latch member I2, thus disengaging the latch member from the stop-studs, thereby permitting folding movement of the seat and the foreleg structure into collapsed position in front of the back. When the seat and front leg structure are completely folded, the snap fasteners automatically become engaged, thereby the seat and foreleg structure are held in folded position.

The invention as herein disclosed is exemplary and is susceptible to variations in its structure, if desired, that may be resorted to lby the exercise of skill in the art.

What I claim is:

1. A folding chair consisting of a rigid frame constituting the back and rear legs of said chair, anchor plates secured to said frame each having a stop-stud thereon, a seat member including a frame provided with hinge brackets pivoted respectively to said anchor plates, each having a protruding jaw engageable with the corresponding stop-stud, a foreleg structure pivotally connected at its upper end with said seat member at the forward end thereof, arms pivotally connected at their opposite ends to said rigid frame and the foreleg structure, a spring-pressed latch member pivotally connected in the seat member and provided at its rear end with means having latching engagement with said stop-studs-whereby to hold the seat in extended position, theforward end of said latch member being disposed beneath the forward end portion of said seat for manipulation, and automatically operable fastening means in connection with the seat member and foreleg structure for securing the chair in folded position.

2. A folding chair consisting of a rigid frame forming the back and rear legs for the chair, rigid stop-studs extending laterally inward from the sides of said frame, a seat member having hinge brackets thereon that are pivotally connected to said frame and have engagement with said stop-studs whereby to limit unfolding movement of said seat member, a foreleg structure pivotally connected to said seat member at a point adjacent the forward end thereof, arm members having pivotal connections at the ends thereof respectively with said frame and foreleg structure whereby to maintain said frame and foreleg structure in proper relative positions during folding and unfolding movement of said seat member and foreleg structure, and a latch member pivotally connected to said seat member provided at its rear end with means having latching engagement with said stop-studs when said stopstuds are engaged by said hinge bracket.

3. A folding chair having a rigid back and rear leg frame and provided with stationary stopstuds extending laterally inward from the sides thereof, a folding structure consisting of a seat with a foreleg structure hinged thereon, said seat having rigid rear brackets that are connected to said frame for pivotal movement relative thereto and engageable with said stop-studs, latching means on said folding structure engageable with the stop-studs, said brackets and latching means being so arranged as to have engagement concurrently with said stop-studs when said folding structure is completely unfolded, and arms the opposite ends of which are pivotally connected with said frame and folding structure to maintain proper relative positions therebetween.

4. In a folding chair, a frame constituting a back and rear legs and provided with rigid lateral stop-studs extending inwardly from the sides thereof, hinge brackets pivoted in the frame at points spaced above said stop-studs and limited in movement in one direction by engagement with said stop-studs, a folding structure rigidly secured to said hinge brackets constituted of a seat and forelegs hinged thereto, arms pivoted at their opposite ends respectively on said frame and forelegs, and means on the folding structure engageable with said stop-studs whereby to secure the chair in extended position.

5. In a folding chair, a frame forming a back and rear legs and provided with rigid stop-studs extending laterally inward from the sides thereof, hinged brackets having upturned ends that are pivotally connected in said frame at points spaced above the stop-studs, and provided with rearwardly protruding jaws that have engagement with the bottoms of said stop-studs respectively when said brackets are in unfolded position, a folding structure consisting of a seat rigidly secured to said brackets and forelegs hinged to said seat, a latch means mounted in said folding structure that engages said stop-studs when saidY jaws are engaged therewith, and arms the ends of which have pivotal connections respectively with said frame and forelegs.

WILLIAM C. RASTETTER. 

